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1st Artillery Brigade (United Kingdom)
| branch = | type = Artillery fire support and regional command | role = Combat Support and command | size = 9 Regiments, 3 other support units | command_structure = 3rd UK Division | garrison = Jellalabad Barracks, Tidworth Camp | garrison_label = Headquarters | equipment = *Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System *AS-90 self-propelled gun *L118 light gun | battles = | decorations = | website = | commander1 = Brigadier Mark Pullan }} The British Army's 1st Artillery Brigade, formerly, 1st Artillery Brigade and Headquarters South West is a formation under 3rd UK Division that has control over close support artillery units within the British Army and was the Regional Point of Command (RPoC) for British Army units in the South West Region. History The brigade was originally formed as the 1st Artillery Group, Royal Artillery. On 1 September 1977, 1st Artillery Brigade and 7th Artillery Brigade (Anti-Aircraft) were both disbanded, and their units absorbed by the new 1st Artillery Division which had its headquarters at Dortmund (Watson and Rinaldi 77). On formation the division had a MGM-52 Lance regiment; a M107 self-propelled gun regiment; and 94 Locating Regiment RA, as well as two RA Rapier air defence regiments. It was redesignated simply as the Artillery Division in 1981, and Artillery I (BR) Corps in 1984. 1st Artillery Brigade was further reformed on 1 November 1985 to control field and missile artillery. (Watson and Rinaldi 101). Structure (c.1989): * Headquarters and 55 Signal Squadron - Bielefeld and Liverpool * Royal Artillery, Alanbrooke Band - Woolwich * General Support Group (4th Armoured Division) ** 5th Regiment Royal Artillery - Heavy Artillery - Dortmund ** 45th Regiment Royal Artillery - Light Artillery - Colchester * General Support Group (1st Armoured Division) ** 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery - Heavy Artillery - Dortmund ** 27th Regiment Royal Artillery - Light Artillery - Topcliffe * Corps Support Group **39th Regiment Royal Artillery - Nuclear Support Artillery - Sennelager **94 Locating Regiment Royal Artillery - Roberts Barracks, Larkhill ** The Honourable Artillery Company - Stay Behind OPs - London ** 50 Missile Regiment Royal Artillery - MGM-52 Lance surface to surface missile - Menden ** 8th (V) Battalion, Queen's Fusiliers (City of London) - St John's Hill, Clapham, London - security guard for 50 Regiment RA after formation in May 1988 * Territorial Observation Post Support Group **''266 (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Observation Post Battery, Royal Artillery (V) - Bristol'' ** [[269 (West Riding) Battery Royal Artillery|''269 (West Riding) Observation Post Battery, ]]Royal Artillery (V) -'' Leeds ** 307 (South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry, Royal Horse Artillery) Observation Post Battery, Royal Artillery (V) - Nottingham * Air Defence Group **12th Regiment Royal Artillery - Air Defense - Dortmund **22nd Regiment Royal Artillery - Air Defense - Dortmund ** 16th Regiment Royal Artillery - Air Defense - Kirton in Lindsey * Reserve Royal Artillery Support Group ** 102nd (Ulster) Air Defence Regiment Royal Artillery - Newtownards ** 104th Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery - Newport ** 105th (Scottish) Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery - Edinburgh * 1st Artillery Brigade Logistics Group **8th (Artillery Support) Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport - Münster ** 153rd (Highland) Artillery Support Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport - Dunfermline ** 570th Artillery Group (US Army) ** 583rd Ordnance Company (US Army) Reformation from 2014 The current brigade was formed on 1 September 2014 under the original Army 2020 plan, titled 1st Artillery Brigade and Headquarters South West, merging units and personnel of 43 (Wessex) Brigade with Royal Artillery regiments. The brigade's mission will include commanding, preparing and generating assigned deployable forces. The brigade comprises a large number of units including 1 Royal Horse Artillery and 19 Regiment Royal Artillery and 15 garrisons and stations across the south west. Previously, news articles reported that its personnel had control over the testing the Watchkeeper Remotely Piloted Aerial System. The brigade used to be under Forces Troops Command but shifted command to 3rd UK Division. Headquarters South West remains as a Regional Point of Command under Regional Command. The brigade consists of the following units: * Headquarters 1st Artillery Brigade, Roberts Barracks **National Reserve Headquarters, Royal Artillery (V), Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich - controlling the watchkeeper pool and specialist batteries/troops **'Supporting the Strike Brigades and Strike Experimentation Group' ***3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, Albemarle Barracks ***4th Regiment Royal Artillery, Alanbrooke Barracks ***103rd (Lancashire Artillery Volunteer) Regiment Royal Artillery (V), St Helens - Reserve support to Strike brigade **'Supporting the Armoured Infantry Brigades' ***1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, Assaye Barracks ***19th Regiment Royal Artillery, Bhurtpore Barracks ***104th Regiment Royal Artillery (V), Raglan Barracks - Reserve support to armoured infantry brigade ***105th (Scottish and Ulster) Regiment Royal Artillery (V), Redford Barracks - Reserve support to armoured infantry brigade **'Supporting 3rd UK Division' ***26th Regiment Royal Artillery, Purvis Lines - Divisional Fires Regiment ***101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery (V), Gateshead - Reserve divisional support References External links * HQ 1st Artillery Brigade Category:Brigades of the British Army Category:Artillery units and formations of the British Army Category:Military units and formations established in 2014 Category:Army 2020 Category:2014 establishments in the United Kingdom Category:Artillery brigades Category:Royal Artillery